Good bye January

Here I am—first day of February. I made it. One month behind me. One month into a new year. One hopeful month in and as I look back (briefly, because I’m not heading that way) it feels like it was a fine month—and this one-day-at-a-time is how I will eventually put another whole year behind me. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

The last 30 days didn’t move quickly but the days didn’t move slowly either. Kind of a steady stream, calm and without a lot of commotion. With that steady flow change came in a variety of areas in my life.

Work Changes

I’m teaching but not like I did 24 years ago, or even 24 days ago. It’s still half capacity classes with alternate days. It’s still a covid-cautious experience. It’s still children, with masks on, running through daily handwashing drills. I am so grateful for the teens with the eyes that crinkle when they smile so I can read a bit of an expression.

Relationships With the Outside

There were changes in my relationship with the outside. I walked the whole month, even the days that were -30 C or colder. I put on my ski pants and my down filled parka and went out to breathe in the painfully cold but incredibly fresh air. I just kept walking and it became meditative. Step after step. Even in the dark moments of the early morning I wanted the challenge. I wanted the time outside before and after work and even at lunch. If you would have asked Angie of twenty years ago if I’d be walking every day in the snow and cold because I wanted to, she’d tell you to piss off! Change. Definite change.

Writing

Counios and Gane changed too. The way we are working on the fourth book of the Shepherd and Wolfe Mystery series, Shepherd’s Call is different—and the same. In the beginning of our writing partnership we collaborated daily with scheduled meetings and creative banter. We then changed how we did things. David, in his office working and me in mine. But, happily, with this new year we are meeting again, every day. Every single day. Day after day and it’s fantastic. I recall all the pluses of team work—the creative gym buddy, the team work and assisted story building. So nice.

I am a fan of change.

It keeps things interesting and it keeps me on my toes. Life stays a little punchy and never boring. And with a jab and a bit of footwork and metaphorical leg work I’ll get to the end of the next month, the end of the book and the end of the year. Step by step. Word by word. One meeting at a time.